Propelling system of powered ship

ABSTRACT

A propelling system of a powered ship includes a support, outboard motor, guide component and water inlet unit. The support is disposed at a stern. The outboard motor is mounted on the support. A blade wheel is disposed at the bottom of the outboard motor. The axis of the blade wheel is higher than a hull. The guide component has a guide ring for concealing the blade wheel and a nozzle connected to the guide ring. The water inlet unit is disposed at the stern and below the support. The water inlet unit has a water inlet hole and water outlet hole. A water inlet channel is formed between the water inlet hole and water outlet hole. The support enables the outboard motor to be mounted higher. The guide component and water inlet channel enable water to be conveyed at low pressure and ejected at high flow rate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to propelling systems of powered ships and, more particularly, to a propelling system conducive to enhancement of propulsion efficiency and applicable even when the ship has a shallow draft.

2. Description of the Related Art

An outboard motor is a demountable power device affixed to the stern of a ship and designed to transmit power (for example, that supplied by an internal combustion engine or a generator) to a propeller such that the propeller rotates. The rotation of the propeller causes the ship to move forward. The outboard motor is suitable for small ships sailing on rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

To ensure that the outboard motor has high propulsion efficiency, the prior art discloses immersing the propeller in water such that the propeller has a sufficiently deep draft. The prior art, however, is disadvantaged by an increase in water drag and an increase in the likelihood that the propeller hits the beds of the rivers/lakes/coastal waters or entangles itself with foreign bodies, such as plastic bags, fishing nets and waterweed, in the water. The latter disadvantage causes damage to the propeller and even marine organisms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present disclosure to provide a propelling system of a powered ship such that the propelling system is conducive to enhancement of propulsion efficiency and applicable even when the ship has a shallow draft.

In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present disclosure provides a propelling system comprising a support, an outboard motor, a guide component and a water inlet unit. The support is disposed at a stern of the powered ship. The outboard motor is disposed at the support and has a blade wheel. The axis of the blade wheel is higher than a hull of the powered ship. The guide component has a guide ring and a nozzle. The guide ring conceals the blade wheel. The nozzle is connected to the back of the guide ring and disposed proximate to the blade wheel. The water inlet unit is disposed at the stern of the powered ship and below the support. A water inlet hole is disposed at the bottom of the water inlet unit. The water inlet unit has a water outlet hole opening toward the guide ring. A water inlet channel is formed between the water inlet hole and the water outlet hole.

Therefore, as soon as the blade wheel rotates, water in the hull is admitted to the water inlet channel through the water inlet hole of the water inlet unit, then conveyed to the guide ring through the water outlet hole of the water inlet unit, and finally subjected to commutation performed by the blade wheel before being ejected from the nozzle, enabling water to be conveyed at low pressure and ejected at high flow rate. Therefore, the propelling system of a powered ship according to the present disclosure is conducive to enhancement of propulsion efficiency and applicable even when the ship has a shallow draft.

Fine structures, features, assembly or operation of the propelling system of the present disclosure are illustrated by embodiments and described below. However, persons skilled in the art understand that the description below and the specific embodiments are illustrative of the present disclosure rather than restrictive of the claims of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of how a propelling system is mounted on a powered ship according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the propelling system of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial rear view of the propelling system of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Directional wording used hereunder must be interpreted in accordance with the accompanying drawings. Identical reference numerals used hereunder and in the accompanying drawings denote identical or similar components or structural features thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, a propelling system 16 of the present disclosure comprises a support 18, an outboard motor 20, a guide component 34 and a water inlet unit 40.

The support 18 is fixed to a stern 12 by welding or by screws and disposed proximate to the top of the stern 12.

The outboard motor 20 has a casing 22 for concealing its engine (which is disclosed by prior art and is not shown in the accompanying drawings). An extension box 24 is connected to the casing 22 from below and adapted to contain a driving shaft (which is disclosed by prior art and is not shown in the accompanying drawings). A bracket 26 is disposed on the front of the extension box 24. The outboard motor 20 is hung on the support 18 by the bracket 26. A gear box 28 is connected to the extension box 24 from below and adapted to connect to the driving shaft . An eddy-preventing baffle 32 is disposed between the gear box 28 and the extension box 24. A blade wheel 30 is connected to the gear box 28 from behind, as shown in FIG. 2. The axis of the blade wheel 30 is higher than a hull 14. Therefore, power generated by the engine is transmitted to the gear box 28 by the driving shaft. The power undergoes a deceleration process performed by the gear box 28 before being transmitted to the blade wheel 30, enabling the blade wheel 30 to rotate.

The guide component 34 has a guide ring 36 and a nozzle 38. The guide ring 36 is disposed at the eddy-preventing baffle 32 of the outboard motor 20 and conceals the blade wheel 30 completely and the gear box 28 partially. The nozzle 38 is connected to the back of the guide ring 36 by screws and disposed proximate to the blade wheel 30.

The water inlet unit 40 is fixed to the stern 12 by welding or by screws and disposed below the support 18. A water inlet hole 42 is disposed at the bottom of the water inlet unit 40. The water inlet hole 42 is substantially as high as the hull 14. A water outlet hole 44 opening toward the guide ring 36 is disposed on the back of the water inlet unit 40. A water inlet channel 46 extending obliquely is formed between the water inlet hole 42 and the water outlet hole 44.

Therefore, as soon as the blade wheel 30 rotates, water in the hull 14 is admitted to the water inlet channel 46 through the water inlet hole 42 of the water inlet unit 40, then conveyed to the guide ring 36 through the water outlet hole 44 of the water inlet unit 40, and finally subjected to commutation performed by the blade wheel 30 before being ejected from the nozzle 38, enabling water to be conveyed at low pressure and ejected at high flow rate. To slow down or stop a ship 10, all it needs to do is control the blade wheel 30 to decelerate, stop and rotate reversely.

In conclusion, compared with the prior art, the propelling system 16 of the present disclosure has advantages as follows:

1) First, the support 18 enables the outboard motor 20 to be mounted higher. Second, the rotation of the blade wheel 30 is confined to the guide ring 36. The first and second advantages together not only reduce the likelihood that the blade wheel 30 hits riverbeds or entangles itself with foreign bodies and thus gets damaged, but also reduce the likelihood that the blade wheel 30 injures the fish, swimmers or divers in the vicinity of the hull 14. Therefore, the propelling system 16 of the present disclosure is applicable to the ship 10 with a shallow draft and rescue ships 10.

2) When the propelling system 16 of the present disclosure is in operation, water is admitted to the water inlet unit 40, then conveyed from the water inlet unit 40 to the guide ring 36, and finally subjected to the commutation performed by the blade wheel 30 before being ejected from the nozzle 38. Therefore, eddies are unlikely to occur behind the stern 12, thereby enhancing propulsion efficiency and augmenting controllability of the ship 10. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A propelling system of a powered ship, the powered ship having a stern and a hull, the propelling system comprising: a support disposed at the stern; an outboard motor disposed at the support and having a blade wheel, wherein an axis of the blade wheel is higher than the hull; a guide component having a guide ring and a nozzle, the guide ring concealing the blade wheel, the nozzle being connected to a back of the guide ring and disposed proximate to the blade wheel; and a water inlet unit disposed at the stern and below the support, having a water inlet hole formed from below, and having a water outlet hole opening toward the guide ring, wherein a water inlet channel is formed between the water inlet hole and the water outlet hole.
 2. The propelling system of a powered ship according to claim 1, wherein the water inlet hole is as high as the hull.
 3. The propelling system of a powered ship according to claim 1, wherein the outboard motor further has a gear box connected to the blade wheel and partially concealed by the guide ring.
 4. The propelling system of a powered ship according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring is disposed at an eddy-preventing baffle of the outboard motor. 